Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1887-10-17

the charge of murder against Chinaman.
while the exposures relating to jury brib-
ing cases, in which the millionaire Robert
f. Morrow is conspicuous figure, are too
recent and we'll knswn to require more
than passing reference to place them in
the catalogue of instances.
The venality of the legislative delega-
tions from tho city and county of San
Francisco has been for years proverbial
The majority of men sent to the State SEN
ate and Assembly from San Francisco, have
been as purchaseablc as any other species
| of merchandise. So notorious has this be-
come in late years, that during the last
session of the Legislature it was satirically
proposed that the Assembly, in imitation
of ordinary Stock Boards, or Produce Ex-
changes, should open its session each morn
ing with price list.
A boss is the natural enemy of good gov
ernment. He stands simply as an exponent
of venality and corruption. To say that
delegation in State Convention, or in
county Convention, is under the control of
the boss, is simply another form of declar-
ing that delegation to he for sale To our
| conception OF moral standards, there is no
difference between the moral quality which
sells and that which purchases sin. The
boss exists only because there is market
for him and his creatures, and the primary
responsibility for his existence is therefore
with those who purchase and use his serv-
| ices, and who, through him purchase and
Use vicious. the venal and corrupt elements
of society.
The venal elements being effectively
| organized under the boss, counter organ
ization is the natural suggestion of safety.
The judge, the sheriff, the detective, the
clerk of the court, the bailif, the constable,
the police force combine to form the ma
chinery of justice. When all of these are
the creatures of the boss, is it reasonable
for moment to suppose that justice will
, not be bought and sold9 OF what avail to
the great manipulators of politics is the
control of judges election, unless judicial
decisions may be coined into money? One
of the chief sources of revenue to bossism
is the patronage of public station, and the
next forbidden fruit which hangs tempt
ingly within the reach of the boss who
created the Court, is the salableness of
judicial decision.
When the merchant, the minister, the
teacher, the lawyer. the doctor, the manu-
facturer, and in short all the industrious
and law abiding classes leave the control
| of tho Government to the venal scoundrels
| who make money out of such control.
venality i'll government Is as inevitable as
the relation of cause and effect The
judge, who, after his election, declares his
independence of boss control, can keep his
Office for but one term. The clerk and the
| sheriff who refuse to turn over the selec-
ton of juries TO the boss who created them
will enjoy but short tenure of office.
So glaring had all these features of bad
government become in San Francisco, that
they ceased TO be wonder, and
| within year one Of the bosses, over
his own signature, stated that the Sheriff,
whose denomination he defeated, had been
| elected with the distinct understanding
that he, the boss, was to control the patron
| age OF his Office, and that the deposed Off
Ger had not kept faith. For years it has
been just as well known as the the astro-
| nomical fact that the sun rises in the east
and sets in the west that valuable fran
| chises could be purchased at the hands of
the Supervisors of San Francisco through
the instrumentality of the boss.
Unorganized decency is no match for
the skill, fnesse and duplicity of those
who make politics trade; but a vigilant
organization, represented by conscientious
and watchful men, ready to make public
exposure of the crimes and wrong-doing of
the bosses and their creatures, both in and
out OF Office, can doubtless accomplish a
world of good. Tho public official who
finds himself continually surrounded by
the creatures of the politician who made
him, ceases to be conscious of the observa-
ton Of the virtuous element in the COM
munity in which he lives.
There is a scripture which says: Take
away the wicked from before the King,
and his throne shall be established in
righteousness" The Committee of Neces-
sity in San Francisco propose to stand
virtue before those who administer the
functions of sovereignty in high places,
and thus displace the wicked, that the
throne-powers which the exercise of SOW
ereignty places upon men, shall be cstab-
lished in Righteousness.
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